1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to deployment of devices in a wellbore.
2. Background of the Art
Wellbores are drilled in subsurface formations for the production of hydrocarbons (oil and gas). Modern wells can extend to great well depths, often more than 15,000 ft. Hydrocarbons are trapped in various traps or zones in the subsurface formations at different wellbore depths. A variety of strings are installed inside the wellbore to produce the fluids from the subsurface zones. Such strings include a number of devices on an outside of a tubular of the string, which devices are activated or deployed after the string has been conveyed and placed inside the wellbore. Such devices include, but are not limited to, liner hangers, packers, sliding sleeve valves, mechanical devices, such as packers, etc. Such devices are activated or set in the strings by mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and electrohydraulic or electro-mechanical devices. A common method of deploying or setting or activating such devices includes supplying a fluid under pressure from inside the tubing to an activation device via an opening cut through the tubular. Openings in the tubular tend to weaken the tubular and the fluid supplied can carry debris therewith. Interventionless actuation of such devices is, therefore, desirable.
The disclosure herein provides apparatus and methods for activating downhole devices using sensors on an outside of a tubular to provide activation signals in response to a physical change, such as strain or movement, of the tubular and using such signals to activate or deploy devices in the wellbore.